Maharashtra deputy sarpanch found dead beside damaged motorcycle

A village deputy sarpanch was found dead on a roadside in Maharashtra’s Beed district after apparently meeting with a motorcycle accident, prompting police to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.

Vaijnath Vitthal Late, deputy sarpanch of Babhalgaon in Majalgaon tehsil, was found lying in a pool of blood on the Bhopa-Babhalgaon road in the early hours of Wednesday. His severely damaged motorcycle was found nearby, police said.

According to officials, Late was travelling on his motorcycle along the same road on Tuesday night when the incident is believed to have occurred.

Some local youths spotted his body by the roadside on Wednesday morning and alerted villagers and the police. A police team subsequently reached the spot and began an investigation.

Police conducted a panchnama and sent Late’s body for a postmortem examination.

While the initial assessment indicated that Late may have died in a road accident, investigators are also examining the possibility of foul play, officials said.

Police are analysing the condition of the motorcycle, possible impact marks at the scene and other technical evidence to establish how the incident occurred and determine the circumstances surrounding Late’s death.

The investigation is underway, and further details are awaited.

with inputs from PTI